The present invention relates to a cover opening and closing device for switching a cover body between an open position and a closed position relative to a corresponding surface (for example, an opening or operating panel of switches, and the like) of a main body.
A cover opening and closing device used on a vehicle console or the like has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-129742. A cover body is usually forced toward an open position by a forcing device. A cover body is switched from the open position to a closed position in opposition to the force of the forcing device, and stays at the closed position by holding a catching claw on the cover body to a latch on the main body in the closed position. In a case that the cover body is divided into two parts, an idle gear or the like is interposed between the two parts for synchronously switching each part between the open position and the closed position. The latch releases the catching claw by pressing an operation button and allows the cover body to switch from the closed position to the open position. Hereunder, this type is called a former mechanism.
FIGS. 24(a) and 24(b) show a cover opening and closing device disclosed in Patent Document 1. The cover opening and closing device synchronously switches cover bodies (door bodies) 14 and 16 divided into two parts between the open position and the closed position. The cover opening and closing device comprises an open button 18 and a close button 20; Z-shaped arms 58 and 64; a rotating body 32 as a large gear; and an invertible-type spring 50 with one end 50A fixed to a coupling groove 44 of the rotating body 32 and the other end 50B supported by a shaft 52 on a main body. The open button 18 is linked to one end 58A of the arm 58 through a shaft 54, and the close button 20 is linked to one end 64A of the arm 64 through a shaft 60. A small gear 30 is disposed on the cover body 16 for engaging the rotating body 32. A small gear 38 is provided on the side surface opposite the side where the arm 58 inside the cover body 14. The small gear 38 engages a small gear on the corresponding side of the cover body 16 through an idle gear.
In the mechanism, when the open button 18 is pushed while the cover bodies 14 and 16 are in the closed position as shown in FIG. 24(a), the arm 58 rotates around a shaft 66 coupled in a hole 68. The lower end front end part 58C of the arm 58 presses the linking part 50A of the spring 50, and moves along the coupling groove 44 of the rotating body 32 from the left side end part 44A (stable point) toward the right side end part 44B. The linking part 50A of the spring 50 passes the neutral point and moves toward the right side end part 44B of the coupling groove 44. Accordingly, the rotating body 32 is subjected to a force causing the rotating body 32 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction as a partial force of the spring 50. Therefore, even if the hand is removed from the open button 18, the rotating body 32 rotates the cover bodies 14 and 16 toward the open direction by the force of the spring 50.
On the other hand, when the close button 20 is pushed while the cover bodies 14 and 16 are in the open position as shown in FIG. 24(b), the arm 64 rotates around the shaft 66. The lower end front end part 64C of the arm 64 moves the linking part 50A of the spring 50 along the coupling groove 44 from the right side end part 44B (stable point) toward the left side end part 44A. When the linking part 50A of the spring 50 passes the neutral point and moves toward the end part 44A of the coupling groove 44, the rotating body 32 is subjected to a force causing the rotating body 32 to rotate in the clockwise direction as a partial force of the spring 50. Therefore, even if the hand is removed from the close button 20, the rotating body 32 rotates the cover bodies 14 and 16 toward the closed direction by the force of the spring 50.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-362237
In the former mechanism, the catching claw on the latch is released by the push operation of the button, and the cover body is automatically switched from the closed position to the open position by the force of the forcing device. However, in the mechanism, in the case of switching the cover body from the open position to the closed position, it is necessary to move the cover body toward the closed position while pushing the button opposition to the force of the forcing device with the hand or finger, thereby lowering quality. In an automobile and the like, it is necessary to assuredly prevent misfiring in which the latch releases the catching claw by a load applied during a collision and the cover body is switched to the open direction unexpectedly, thereby making the structure complex.
In the mechanism shown in FIGS. 24(a) and 24(b), there is a risk that the driver or passenger might push a wrong button as the open button and the close button are placed in parallel. There also is a risk that the cover body might be automatically switched to the open position when the wrong button is pushed, thereby causing a safety issue. Also, it is preferable to provide a single operation button rather than two buttons from placement and design point of view.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a cover opening and closing device with a simple structure. It is possible to improve quality, and to assuredly eliminate the risk that the cover body might be switched to the open position unexpectedly by an impact load caused by a collision accident or the like thereby making it easy to improve quality and expand an application.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.